Leadership needs - Tun M, Green Education, Durian runtuh

Leadership and Tun M

1.       I’m reading up Tun M’s memoirs. I have my deepest respect for what he is and what he has done. It’s clear how decisive he can be, how clear he is about getting things done. And the cycle goes on after displaying clearly what a fantastic decision maker he is under the worst possibly circumstances. But it also displays his thorny, spiky, ..spiteful?... personality. It just goes to show that you don’t want to mess with him. At the same time, his limitation maybe his lack of scruples to do what perceives to be the right thing to do. This will be a subject of a later blog. All in all – always well-intentioned, but perhaps not quite the best in personal, values and morality development department.

2.       I do agree with his assessment of Malay virtues, loyalty and fealty, and weaknesses, gullible and meek. Exploit this information well, and you can really lead the community to achieve pretty extraordinary things. I do need to ascertain whether this is still true of the Gen Y though. On a personal level, I’d think there is already this shift going on. So, a leader’s work is now even more complex than before.

 

Green Education

3.       This could be my break. It seems Allah had pre-ordained many things in the past few months to facilitate this decision – Alhamdulillah.. the return of Maysaroh, and as yet still unfilled position of helper at home, the frequent reminders from conversations on the need to leave our rizq to Allah, the focus on green AND education! (masyaAllah!), and so many others…

4.       Yet it comes with risk, and which my wife has alluded to time and time again. There is this lack of confidence in my ability, resilience, strength to fulfill my role as a breadwinner and thereby subjecting her to unnecessary pressure. There is a need for me to really execute the plans, but above all change my ways and place my faith in Allah in the truest sense of the word.

5.       Acting as a leader. Learning to think and act as a leader. To be able to understand sensitivities of others and responding accordingly. These are some of the things that I’m not natural at, but it can be learned. To be ruthless and firm in the most important and red-lined items. To show good character and akhlak.

6.       Bumping into Cat Stevens / Yusuf Islam’s biography has given me the perfect model to look at.

 

Durian Runtuh

7.       There are some priorities in life that takes precedence above all others. Family is one.

8.       I would say I hadn’t spent wisely on the last payout. I intend to do so this time round.

9.       Items on the list include: 1. Medical insurance, 2. Education fund for all 4 kids, 3. Money for mak to spend.